Rich village turns against bankrupt couple in local field
The village of Dedham is considered one of the most desirable in South-East England. A four bedroom home with garden sells for £750,000 ($1.2m). It lies in the heart of Dedham Vale, an area designated as being of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and immortalised in paintings by John Constable RA, one of Britain’s best known artists.
When Asa and Gwen Pryke ran a successful business from home there, they were accepted as outstanding members of the local community. But since their business closed due to the financial crash they have become outcasts.
The couple were forced to sell up after their bank refused them a loan to finance a large order, so they decided to move themselves and their school-age children into a trio of caravans in a field owned by Gwen’s family. Part of the reason for the high property values in the area is the wealth of local schools with first rate academic records.
Neither their neighbours nor the local council were the least bit interested in their plight, and they were quickly told to move on as if they were squatters or travellers instead of locals who were down on their luck.…